Apron guiding means for spinning frames



April 4, 1961 R. K. BUTLER APRON GUIDING MEANS FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed April 15, 1959 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 4, 1961 R. K. BUTLER APRON GUIDING MEANS FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed April 15, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l 1, 7 km? YARN LINE YARN LINE April 4, 1961 R. K. BUTLER APRON GUIDING MEANS FOR SPINNING FRAMES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 15, 1959 United States atent' O APRON GUIDING MEANS FOR SPINNING FRAMES Richard K. Butler, Whitman, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Machinecraft, Inc., Whitman, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 806,718

18 Claims. ((31. 19131) In the machines known as spinning and roving frames and used for the making of yarns from crude strands of cotton and other textile fibers, these strands are stretched to reduce them to the proper diameter and also to lay the fibers parallel, by pulling forward on certain fibers while holding back on the following overlapping fibers. This is done by gripping the strand of yarn or roving between three pairs of opposed small rolls, one roll of each pair being above the other and the pairs being spaced apart from each other a little more than the lengthsof the fibers in the strand. Each pair turns slightly faster than the preceding pair.

When the strand is thus stretched, or drawn, as it is called, the ends of some of the fibers get loose from the strand and stray out of parallel with the strand, and some of the fibers leave the strand and are lost. To

prevent this, short, broad rubberized fabric belts or aprons" are often used, one around each of the top and bottom rolls of the second pair working on the strand, these aprons reaching from this middle pair of drawing rolls nearly to the nip of the third or front pair of rolls. These aprons are kept stretched so that their adjacent forward-traveling runs which carry the strand between them will be kept in contact with each other from the nip of the rolls they encircle to a point as near the nip of the front rolls as possible. This is done by running them around metal strips located close to the front rolls and called tensors because they apply tension to the belts.

These tensors thus guide the aprons in the sense that they determine the course of travel of the aprons; But they do not keep the aprons from straying sidewise, and for this purpose other guiding means must be provided.

Usually, this edge-guiding of each pair of aprons has been doneby the side-plates of a cage called a cradle which plates also support the tensors and hook over and rest on the continuous shaft of the middle bottom roll.

,tensioning device for capbarless spinning frames which ice while the rolls are turning. The journals on the ends of the top rolls have been done away with also, to make this threading operation easier, and because no longer needed. This sidewise piecing overlaps and joins broken ends automatically and instantly and without fail, and takes no skill or training at all. 4

However, if aprons are to be used, this capbarless construction leaves unsolved the problem of guiding and tensioning the bottom roll apron of the middle rolls. The top apron has been taken care of by additions to the means holding the middle top roll by its neck. But there is nothing available below the bottom rolls, throughout the intervals between the widely spaced roll stands holding the bearings for the bottom rolls, on which to mount such guiding and tensioning devices. Efiorts have been made to build supporting structures on the roll stands, under the middle bottom roll or between the bottom rolls, and bridging this distance between roll stands, to support the necessary edge-guiding and tensioning means for this bottom belt, but without finding a satisfactory and relatively trouble-free answer.

Hence the main aim of the present invention is to pro vide a simple, adequate, and inexpensive means for guiding and tensioning both the top and bottom aprons of a spinning frame in which the top rolls are held in their working position by their necks alone, and without using journals on the rolls and the necessary cap bars with beanngs therefor.

A further aim is to make such an apron-guiding and will provide for adjusting the pressure and grip of the two aprons on the strand between them to the size of the strandand the nature of the fibers being drawn. This pressure is governed effectively by the spacing of the two tensors from each other and by the resulting vertical width of the gap between the delivery ends of the two concurrent apron runs. This adjustment has been attained only in the case of top apron rolls mounted in cap bars and with cradles guiding and tensioning the aprons. One way was to make the four tensors in the two cradles of a top apron roll transversely concave and then interchange the topand bottom apron tensors in each cradle. Another and commoner way has been to apply U-shaped clips to one or both tensors in a cradle The cradle is held from rocking about this shaft and i from tilting, which would let the forward or delivery ings in fixed parts of the spinning frame called cap bars.

These bearings keep the top roll in proper position on top of the bottom roll, and the top roll holds the cradle in position.

Now, a way has been found to get rid of the cap bars and their troublesome bearings holding the journals at the ends of the top roll. Instead, the top rolls are held in working position by their necks alone. This further makes it much easier to thread the strands through the rolls when the-strand breaks, as it frequently does. This is done by entering the strand sidewise on a slant under the outer ends of the bosses of the-top rollsto increase their efiective thickness within the bends of the aprons. Both these methods call for taking out either two or all four of the tensors from their slots in the two cradles and out of the aprons, interchanging them or alternatively applying the clips, and working them back into the slots of the two or four side-plates against the resistance of the nearly inelastic aprons. Since thecradles remain in place on the bottom rolls and their tensor slots are very difficult of access, the understaking has been so laborious that it has been the regular practice to forego this desirable adjustment and build the cradles or other apron-guiding devices with a fixed gap suited only for the particular size of yarn and type of fiber being spun. This requires removal of all cradles and their replacement with those of a different gap when a different yarn or fiber is to be spun.

To these ends, the invention consists in a spinning frame having roll-guiding, positioning and weighting means holding a two-boss top roll by its neck alone, aprons running around the top roll and its cooperating bottom roll respectively, and guiding and tensioning devices for the top or bottom aprons or both including a tensor which is common to both the a'prons on a single roll, and is supported wholly by the roll-guiding, positioning and weighting means, with or without the assistance of the aprons passing around it. Preferably, such dual tensor is held loosely and removably in 'slots in members in operatively fixed connection'with. the rollguiding, positioning and weighting means, such members being located solely between the two top roll aprons or the two bottom aprons, so that the ends of the tensor are clear and free of all side-plates, brackets, or other supporting means so as to be easily accessible. Preferably also, one of the two tensors of the top and bottom aprons respectively is provided with guides which extend down (or up) across the outward edges of each pair of aprons and cooperate with the slotted members at the inward edges of the aprons in which the tensors are mounted, to form edge guides preventing sidewise straying of the aprons. Preferably, also, these guides are made movable so that they can be swung out of the way of the aprons so that the latter can be slid lengthwise off from the top rolls and along the continuous bottom rolls and off from the bottom apron tensor. This latter is to release the whole roll-guiding, positioning and weighting means with its apron-guiding and tensioning devices from the bottom roll, so that it can be tipped up for cleaning, repairing, or adjustment, and removed from the frame as a unit if desired.

To vary the gap at the delivery end of the concurrent runs of the aprons, and thus to change the pressure and consequent fiber-restraining grip of the aprons on the strand of roving being drawn, the two end portions of one or both tensors are made as if they had been twisted about one edge of the tensor as an axis, so that the other edge of the tensor is offset with respect to its midlength portion, and thus the plane of one or both flat faces of these end portions stands at a small angle to the corresponding plane of the midlength portion. Since each tensor is mounted by its mid-section in slots in the members fixed to the roll-guiding, positioning and weighting means, five different widths of gap at the delivery ends of the aprons are attained by turning over one or both of'the tensors in their slots and by turning the tensors end for end in their slots.

Other objects of the invention, and the manner of their attainment are as set forth hereinafter.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a double apron drawing system employing three pairs of drawing rolls, shown partly in section, with the apron-guiding and tensioning devices of the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the middle top roll with aprons on its bosses, shown partly in section, with the apron- Y guiding and tensioning devices, and a portion of the top roll-guiding, positioning and weighting devices.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the top and bottom middle rolls and aprons of Fig. 1, also showing the apron-guiding and tensioning devices, as viewed in the drafting plane.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the brackets which hold the tensors in place and guide the inward edges of the apron.

Fig. 5 shows a pair of tensors in perspective.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are end views of the two tensors arranged in various combinations to give three different widths of gap at the delivery ends of the aprons, using a straight top tensor.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a top tensor with an alternative form of apron edge-guide, and also having offset end-portions.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the relation of the tensors when the top tensor of Fig. 9 is used'to give a gap 0 minimum width.

Fig. 11 is an "end view corresponding to Fig. 1 showing the alternative edge-guide of Fig. 9 retaining the aprons in place.

Fig. 12 shows in section on line 12-12 of Fig. 11 the manner of engagement of the edge-guide of Fig. 9 with the bottom tensor.

Fig. 13 is an end view corresponding to Fig. 11 showing further alternative forms of edge-guides retaining the aprons in place.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the bottom apron edge-guide of Fig. 13.

The invention is shown applied to the top roll-guiding, positioning and weighting means disclosed in my Patent No. 2,865,057, granted December 23, 1958, in which the top rolls are held in working relation with the bottom rolls by their necks alone, by parts in operatively fixed relation to the frame. Such means are shown in part only and indicated generally by the reference character 1, and as recited in the patent comprise two sheet metal portions of which only the part 3 holding the middle top roll is shown here. This part 3 is of inverted U-shape, and overlaps in telescoping relation a matching U-shaped rear member (not shown) to provide the length-adjustment in varying the roll settings, being held in adjusted relation by a clamping screw. The rear part has a yoke of inverted U-shape afiixed thereto, also in telescoping relation, which has deep slots in its depending flanges which receive an auxiliary back bar supported by the regular back bar provided on the roll stands behind the back rolls. The neck of the back top roll 11 is received in semi-circular notches cut in the downturned flanges of the rear part.

The forepart 3 of the guiding, weighting and positioning member 1 also has two semi-circular notches formed precisely opposite each other in the depending flanges of part 3, to receive and fit between the walls of grooves in the mid-portion of a sleeve 19 held from rotation by the member 1 and serving as a bearing bushed with low-frictional material and in which the shaft 21 of the top middle or apron roll rotates freely. The bosses 23 are knurled and screwed tightly onto the reduced and threaded end portions of shaft 21, so that they and the shaft turn as a unit, as set forth in Cotchett application Serial No. 643,298, filed March 1, 1957, now Patent No. 2,937,414.

The top apron roll is held in relatively fixed relation to member 1 by means of a short outer sleeve 25 fitting loosely around sleeve 19 at mid-length, and this sleeve 25 is bored radially and tapped to receive a screw 27 extending through a lengthwise slot 26 in the end of part 3, pulling. this outer sleeve 25 upward between the dependent flanges of part 3 and clamping the sleeve 19 into the semi-circular notches in the depending flanges of part 3. This fixes the angular relation or tilt of the apron-guiding and tensioning devices, which are carried by sleeve 19 of the top apron roll, with respect to the member 1 with capacity for adjustment all as set forth in my prior patent.

In accordance with the present invention, the aprons 29, 31, are stretched and directed by tensors 33, 35, which are removably mounted in apertures in the form of slots 37, 39, respectively, in the front edges of a pair of brackets 41 of L-shape having hubs 43 which are press-fitted onto the full-diameter portions of sleeve 19 and thus fixedly held by member 1. These hubs are spaced well inward to clear the ends of the bosses 23. Each bracket is offset at 45 to bring the slotted end into close and edge-guiding relation with the inward edges of its adjacent top and bottom aprons 29, 31, both at the edges of the concurrent and nearly parallel working runs which pass between the tensors in mutual engagement, and also at the edges of the idle or return runs of the aprons, as will be seen in Fig. 1.

Each tensor 33, 35 is made as long as the top roll and thus dual, that is, each serves two aprons. Tensor 33 for the top apron 29 has its front and back longitudinal edges straight and parallel. Both edges are rounded slightly. and the rear edge is notched at 47 to engage thesides of brackets 41 at the bottoms of the notches 37 therein, to prevent endwise movement of the tensor.

Bottom tensor 35 is formed with; its two end portions 49 twisted out of the median plane-of its mid-length portion 51, as seen in Fig. 5. The downturned end por- -tions 49 are as long as .the .apronsare .wide, and ha thein'flat and parallel top and bottom surfaces disposed in planes oblique to the corresponding faces of the midlength portion 51 which are engaged by the opposing jaws of the notches 39 to such anextent that on one edge as an axis. The two end portions 49 he in a common plane. t

Notches 53 are provided in the mid-length portion of the bottom tensor51 to engage the sides of brackets 41 at the bottom of its notch 39, to prevent .endwise movement of thetensor in the brackets, just as do the notches 47 in tensor 33. But this time both edges of bottom .tensor 51 are notched, because it is intended to be inser'ted in brackets. 41 with either edgein contact with bottom apron 31, as may be required.

Thus, when the bottom apron tensor35 is inserted .with its offset-edge in the slots 39 of brackets 41 in the .relation shown in Figs. and 6, namely with the offset -edgesof end portions 49 below the level of the intervening edge of mid-length portion 51,'the gap between the apron-engaging forward edges of the two tensors will be .that selected for average drafting conditions, 4 mm.

under conventional practice. That is, one tensor will be 2 mm. above and the other tensor 2 mm. below the drafting plane or yarn line defined by the hips of the middle and front pairs of rolls.

If it is desired to narrow the gap to cause the opposed .aprons to exert more pressure and restraining action on the fibers of the strand passing between them, the bottom tensor will be slipped out from within the bottom P apron 31 and turned over 180 about its lengthwise axis and put back within the aprons and the notches 39 in the trelation shown in Fig. 7. Therein, the offset edges of the bottom tensor are brought into engagement with the apron at a distance 1 mm. nearer the top tensor 33 than the position previously occupied by the straight edge of this bottom tensor in Fig. 6. This narrows the gap to '3 mm., since the offset edges of end portions 49 are brought 1 mm. nearer the yarn line.

If i a wider gap than the initial 4 mm. is desired, in order to ease the pressure of the opposing aprons on the strand, the bottom tensor 35 is turned end for end from its position of Figs. 5 and 6, so that as shown in Fig. 8

the offset edges of portions 49 are at the front and in engagement with the bottom aprons at a level below that of the edge of mid-length portion 51 which is held in 7 slots 39 of the brackets 41. This increases the gap to 5 mm. since it lowers the apron-tensioning and guiding offset edges 3 mm. below the yarn line or drafting plane.

These reversals of the-bottom tensor 51 are effected easily and without struggling against the tension of the practically inextensible aprons which makes it so difficult to insert and remove the tensors in prior constructions using cradles with side-plates to hold the tensors. Thus,

by merely lifting the rear end of roll positioning, guiding the weighting member 1 oflf of the back bar over which it is hooked to keep it in working position, the whole unit pivots about the nip of the middle rolls, bringing bottom tensor 35 closer to the bottom apron roll and slackening :bottom aprons 31. .35 and adjustment of the delivery gap without remov- This permits reversal of the tensor ;;ing the assembly of top roll, guiding member 1, top tensor, and top aprons from the spinning frame, and without shifting the bottom aprons sidewise. The proper ten- :sion is restored to these aprons when the member 1 is put back as it-was'before.

A Where a still greater range of variation is desired in :the width of the gap between the tensors, and hence in the apron pressure against the strand, the same offset ctr/rs of tensor m eas h w s F s- 9 ay be e in place of the straight tensor 33 to direct the top apron 29. This will give a 1 him. reduction in the 3 mm. gap 7 of Fig. 7 when the offset end portions 54 of the top tensor engage the top aprons 29 in downturned relation and the bottom tensor is in upturned relation, as shown in Fig. 10, and will increase the gap to 6 mm. from the 5 mm. shown in Fig. 8, when the offset edge of the top tensor is against the apron and is turned up, and the offset edge of the bottom-tensor against the aprons is turned down as in Fig. 8. It will of course act as tensor 33 does, when its straight side is against the apron. Notches 60 are provided in both edges to prevent endwise movement of tensor 52 in brackets 41, as before.

The invention makes it possible for mills desiring to produce a wide variety of sizes or counts of ,yarn to avail themselves of the optimum gap for the size of yarnbeing run at a given time.- It avoids the difiiculty inherent in the use of clips placed on one or both of the old style tensors to narrow the gap, that such resort increases the vertical thickness of the tensors and thus the radius of the-bends of the aprons around the clips, which prevents the desired close setting of the delivery ends of the aprons to the nip of the front rolls.

To guide the outward edges of both the top and bottom aprons at each end of the top roll, the top apron tensor 33. with straight (not offset) edges is provided .With edge guidcs55., There are L-shaped narrow strips of metal pivoted at 57 on the top surface of tensor 33 and with the short leg of the L extending down below and outside'ofboth concurrent runs of the pair of aprons and down across the ends of bottom tensor at each end of the top roll. They are pivoted so that they can be swung back around the corners of the tensor toward and usually against the bosses of the top roll. In this position an opening is provided between the downturned end of each guide 55 and the top surface of the bottom tensor through which opening the bottom aprons can be slid outwardly off from the ends of the bottom tensor. This is done after the member 1 has been unweighted and tipped up'while rocking about the nip of the top and bottom apron rolls as described, to slacken the bottom aprons 31. With the bottom aprons free from bottom tensor 35, the member 1 along with the ,middle and back top rolls and the top aprons 29 and the apron guiding and tensioning means is lifted off as a unit. The bottom aprons and the other parts of the unit are restored to working position on the bottom tensor 35 by reversal of this procedure.

When the offset tensor 52 is used in the top apron, the type of edge-guide shown in Figs. 9 and 11 is used. This is a flat blade 56 pivoted on a rivet 58 driven into a hole in each end of the tensor 52, and shaped symmetrically so asto be swung down over the edges of both aprons as shown in Fig. 11 regardless of which side of tensor 52 is up. A hump 61 struck up along the median line of each edge-guide 56 engages in a matching groove 63 in each end of bottom tensor 35 to keep the guides 56 in working position.

When these guides 56 are swung up about their pivots 58 overlap or abut the ends of the bosses 23 of the top middle roll, the top aprons 29 are easily and quickly slidable off or onto the bosses 23 and the top tensor 52, just as in the case of top tensor 33. The bottom apron 31 is slackened and removed and replaced as aforesaid.

The alternative forms of edge-guides shown in Fig. 13 are clips of sheet metal or plastic, pushed ontothe ends of the tensor 52 in place of the edge-guides 56, and onto the ends of tensor 35, by hand after the aprons 29, 31 are in place. They are retained on the tensors by the tension of the aprons, which causes the tensors to wedge in the acute angle 70 to an extent preventing movement of the guides along the tensors. Either or both guides 72, 74 will in certain instances have its two webs 76, 78 adjacent the angle 70 disposed in parallel or slightly convergent relation so as to grip the top and bottom surstated.

faces of tensor 52, as shown, to aid the wedging action described in holding the guide in place.

Top apron guide 72 has a fin 80 vertically disposed and placed close to the desired path of the proximate edge of top apron 29, to guide the tight or top run thereof. Bottom apron guide 74 has a vertical fin 82 in similar relation to the outward edge of the tight run of bottom apron 31, and also a vertical fin 84 guiding the edges of both aprons in the parallel runs thereof which carry the yarn to the nip of the front rolls 86, 88. 7

These edge-guides 72, 74 are merely pulled off from their tensors by the fingers when the aprons are to be removed, as for cleaning the parts, reversing the tensors, or replacing worn aprons. that may be' located at any desired position in the length of the tensors, to suit the width of the particular aprons being used. Also, bottom guide 74 may be given a width approximating that of the apron and a length to approach closely the nip of the apron rolls, so as to support the strand-carrying runs of the aprons and minimize the chance of their spreading apart and slackening their hold on the fibers.

Most prior apron-tensioning devices have compelled the use of a slack-fitted apron on both top and bottom rolls, because of the aforesaid extreme effort required to stretch the nearly inextensible aprons, in order to get the tensors in place within the aprons, which had to be installed first. Slack aprons, even when aided by platforms added between the rolls and the tensors, do not stay flat and close together as needed to attain uniform control of the fibers. But with the novel structure, aprons of just the right length to run taut are easily and quickly slid on and off over the ends of the top tensors and top roll bosses, with the tensors in place and with the edge-guides 55, 56 swung back, or the guides 72, 74 removed, as noted. The tension of the bottom aprons is completely adjustable through manipulation of the top roll holding means 1, as Improvements of 10% to in breaking strength of the resulting yarn have been reported by mills using the devices of the invention, over that produced by prior conventional apron-drafting means, through greater uniformity in density of the drawn strand resulting from proper apron tension.

The novel device is notable as making cleaner yarn than that of my prior patent since the spaces within the aprons are more completely open at both ends to access of air currents from thetraveling overhead cleaners conventionally used on roving frames, and thus the parts are less prone to collect lint and fly to escape in bunches and become twisted into the yarns. The parts which guide and tension the aprons are fewer and are sturdy and easily manufactured, all of which features combine to help in the attaining of more accuracy and hence better performance in the assembled devices.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I do claim is:

1. In a spinning frame, in combination, a pair of opposed, top and bottom drawing rolls, guiding, positioning and weighting means for the top roll and in which the top roll is fixedly mounted by its neck, two aprons around the top roll, and an apron tensioning member engaging both aprons and in operatively fixed relation to the guiding, positioning and weighting means.

2., In a spinning frame, in combination, a pair of op- ;posed top and bottom drawing rolls, guiding, positioning and weighting means holding the top roll by its neck alone,

two aprons around the top roll, two aprons around the bottom roll, and two tensors in operatively fixed relation to the guiding, positioning and weighting means, one ten- They have the advantage that posed top and bottom drawing rolls, guiding, positioning and weighting means for the top roll, two aprons around the bottom roll, and a single tensor guiding and tension- ,ing both aprons and connected to the said means solely at points lying between the two aprons.

5. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls,-guiding, positioning and weighting means holding the top roll by its neck alone, two aprons around the top roll, two aprons around the bottom roll, and tensors substantially equal in length to the top roll in operatively fixed relation to the guiding, positioning and weighting means, one tensor tensioning both top aprons and the other tensioning both bottom aprons.

6. In a spinning frame, in combination, a bottom drawing roll, a top drawing roll having two bosses, operatively fixed parts in which the top roll is mounted rotatably, aprons around the bosses of the top roll, aprons around the bottom roll ,in contact with the top roll aprons, and tensors on the operatively fixed parts, one of such tensors tensioning the top roll aprons and the other thereof tensioning the bottom roll aprons.

7. The combination according to claim 6 in which one tensor has means thereon guiding the edges of its two aprons.

8. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, an apron on a roll, edge-guiding means for the apron having apertures, and a tensor supported by the edge-guiding means and removably mounted in such apertures having an apron-engaging portion of its length offset from the portions engaged in the apertures.

9. In a spinning frame, in combination, a bottom drawing roll, a top drawing roll, aprons on one of the rolls, edge-guiding means for the aprons having apertures, and a tensor within the aprons removably and reversibly mounted in such apertures and having the apron-engaging portions of its length within the aprons offset from intervening portions of its length engaged in the apertures.

10. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, apron on these rolls, edge-guiding means for the aprons, and tensors within the aprons reversibly mounted in such means, at least one of these tensors having an apron-engaging edge that is offset out of line with the portion of this tensor engaged with the edge-guiding means.

11. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, aprons on the rolls, edge-guiding means for the aprons, and a tensor having end-portions within and tensioning the two aprons of a roll and both disposed in the same plane, and having intermediate portions disposed in a different plane, the tensor being removably and reversibly held in connection with the edgeguiding means.

12. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, aprons on these rolls, edge-guiding means for the aprons, and tensors Within the aprons reversibly mounted in such means, at least one of these tensors having an intermediate portion of its length engaged by the edge-guiding means along a plane that is inclined with respect to the medial plane of an apronengaging portion of the tensor.

13. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, guiding, positioning and tensioning means holding the top roll by its neck alone, two aprons around a top roll, two aprons around a bottom roll, tensor-holding means fixed on the roll-holding means, -a

tensor mounted on the tensor-holding means 'andextending through two top aprons, and a tensor extending through two bottom aprons and reversibly mounted on the tensor-holding means by its intermediate portion and having one edge of each of its end portions out of line with the adjacent edge of its intermediate portion and the other edge of each end portion in line with the corresponding edge of the intermediate portion. 7

14. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, aprons on the top rolls, edge-guiding means for the proximate edges of a pair of aprons on a roll, a tensor within both aprons, and means pivotally mounted on the tensor within the width of the aprons and guiding the remote edges of these aprons.

' 15. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, a pair of aprons around a top roll, a pair of aprons around a bottom roll, tensors within the aprons, means apart from the tensors guiding the proximate edges of each pair of aprons, and means mounted on one tensor guiding the remote edges of all four aprons and overlapping and extending across the ends of the other tensor. 1

16. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, guiding, positioning and weighting means holding the top roll by its neck alone, tensorholding means on the guiding, positioning and weighting means, aprons around the top and bottom rolls, and tensors within the aprons and reversibly mounted in the holding means, at least one tensor having spaced aligned apron-engaging edge portions and an intervening portion offset out of line with such edge portions and adapted to be engaged and held by the tensor-holding means.

17. Tensor means for the aprons of a long-draft spinning frame comprising in combination a member extending through two aprons, means slidable on such member guiding the edges of such aprons, a second member extending through two aprons below the first-named aprons, and means on this second member guiding the edges of all four aprons and slidable along this second member.

18. In a spinning frame, in combination, top and bottom drawing rolls, aprons on a top and a bottom roll, guiding, positioning and weighting means holding and weighting the top roll by its neck alone, tensors within the aprons of the top and bottom rolls and mounted on the guiding, positioning and weighting means, and a guide for the edges of these aprons mounted on one tensor in relatively movable relation thereto and slidable across the end of the other tensor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,196 Jackson Mar. 12, 1940 2,209,573 Louie July 30, 1940 2,789,320 Dausch Apr. 23, 1957 2,853,743 Starnes Sept. 30, 1958 

